A Shark's Underbelly
by Okikage
Summary: After Shark finally gets over "protecting" Yuma by avoiding him, he decides to share his most important thing. Established Sharkbaitshipping


Yuma fiddled with the hem of his shirt, trying not to stare at anyone on the light rail. Shark sat beside him, a far away look on his face.

"You never said where we were going, Shark," he glanced up at Shark, hands refusing to stay still.

Shark smiled slightly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He covered Yuma's hands with one of his own, "We're going to visit someone very special."

"Who?" Yuma swayed from side to side as the rail made another stop, a swarm of people moving in and out of the opened doors.

"You'll see," Shark gave Yuma a light peck on the forehead as he wrapped an arm around Yuma's slim waist. Yuma sighed, leaning into Shark's body, hands struggling to find a place to settle down in the crowded train and his particular position flush against Shark's side. The setting sun glowed as it shot through the windows, lighting up the various gazers and briefcases the other passengers held. Yuma turned from people watching to stare at Shark. He'd worn a deep purple button-up instead of his usual layered combo today, with a pair of pressed black pants. His hair even looked shinier than usual, like Shark had put an overzealous amount of conditioner in it. Whoever this person they were seeing was, they were important enough to get dressed up for.

Yuma looked down at himself, wearing his usual attire, a small rip even making its way across part of his red vest. He kicked his legs as much as he could, which amounted to barely inches, trying to let out some frustration.

"You never said this was something to look nice for."

Shark quirked an eyebrow, returning from wherever his mind had wandered off to, "Because it isn't."

"But – but you look really nice," Yuma crossed his arms, breaking into a pout.

"I guess its just habit now," Shark sighed, looking up at the electronic sign that began flashing **Heartland City Hospital**. "This is our stop."

Shark gently pushed his way through the crowd, holding Yuma's hand and pulling him through the pathway he made in between the passengers. They exited the train in a throng with about twenty others, who all dispersed throughout the various escalators down to street level and bridges to other platforms.

"This way," Shark pulled Yuma toward the entrance to the second floor of the hospital, massive windows reflecting the brilliant sun and glass doors opening and closing as people went about their business.

"We're going to the hospital?" Yuma dumbly asked as they walked into an open area, a reception island set up in the middle and chairs lining the walls. They passed the entrance to the ER, the mixed smell of various medicines making Yuma's vision swim a bit. Shark stopped in front of the pillar that held the elevators, pushing the up button impatiently.

"Shark? Who's in the hospital?"

Shark turned to Yuma, carding a hand through his hair, "My sister. I think…you'll really like her."

Yuma's eyes widened, falling to stare at the gold and pink tiled floor. He muttered unintelligibly at said tiles until the elevator dinged its arrival. Yuma hurried to get in the empty glass space, finally letting go of Shark's hand as he scurried into the corner, turning to the front where Shark had pushed 31 on the floor pad. Yuma tapped his feet on the floor nervously, looking out at the architecture of the hospital, a ring of rooms outside with long, thin bridges to the middle pillar where the elevator was. _Why do they make hospitals so pretty anyway?_ He wondered to himself as the passed the twentieth floor and the expanse fell away, replace by row and row of hospital rooms coming into and leaving view as they climbed even higher.

"What? The atrium stops?" he wondered aloud, turning to look at Shark.

"Yeah. You've never been up this high before have you?" Shark smirked, but the edges pulled down. "That's a good thing."

"Well I went to the roof once, but never the middle I guess…" Yuma trailed off, sliding close to Shark.

"These are long-term rooms. They aren't nearly as cheery as the rest of the place," Shark grabbed Yuma's hand again as they arrived on floor 31, stepping out in the hallway.

"So, uhhh…why is your sister here then?" Yuma tried to fill the stifling silence of the deserted hallway.

"It's complicated," Shark stopped them outside a white door that blended in with the walls, knocking two times. The door softly slid into the wall, leaving an opening to Shark and Yuma to walk through into a completely white room, fluorescent lighting making everything even brighter than it really was.

"Is that you, Ryouga?" a young girl lay on the hospital bed, bandages covering the majority of her body.

"Yeah, I'm right here, Reiko," Shark whispered, sitting in the chair beside the bed and patting her shoulder tentatively. "How are you feeling today?"

"I'm okay. I feel fine," Reiko coughed in between her sentences, turning to face Shark and Yuma even though her eyes were covered in bandages. Shark grunted noncommittally, motioning for Yuma to step closer, "I brought someone here to meet you." He gestured from Yuma to Reiko, urging him to speak.

"Oh! Hi, uh, Reiko," Yuma's boisterous voice reverberated off the slick walls and he cringed a bit. "My name's Yuma. I'm, err, Ryouga's…friend?" he added a questioning lilt to the end, eyeing Shark with a sidelong glance.

Reiko gave a very small smile, "Ryouga's told me about you. Ryouga, could you get me some water? While I talk to Yuma?"

"Of course," Shark got up, exiting the room. When he'd left, Reiko sighed, tears leaking through her bandages.

"Woah, hey, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Yuma, I know we just met," Reiko started, sobbing out, "but Ryouga…he blames himself for this. Please, he's so happy when he talks about you. Keep making him happy."

Yuma stuttered, unsure of how to respond to Reiko. "Of course I will."

"I hope. He understands this isn't his fault one day," Reiko sniffled out, regaining her composure just as Shark returned, holding a paper cup full of water.

"Here," Shark gently pulled Reiko's oxygen mask up, tipping some water into her mouth. Reiko drank a few sips, shaking her head to signal to Shark she was done.

"Thank you so much, Ryouga," she gave another half-hearted smile. The two siblings sat in silence while Yuma tried his best to stay still on the end of the bed, grasping onto the end post. Time seemed to stand still, no windows to show the setting sun and only harsh fake fluorescents to light up the room. Shark and Reiko exchanged whispers snatches of conversation with each other that Yuma pointedly ignored in favor of fidgeting in place and listening to the medicine drip attached to Reiko's arm occasionally lightly splashing.

Reiko finally spoke up, "I think I'm going to try and sleep now. It was good to see you, and Yuma too."

"I'll see you soon," Shark stood up, leaning down to give Reiko a brief hug. He held out his hand for Yuma to take.

"Bye, Reiko, it was nice to meet you," Yuma took Shark's hand, lifting his other to wave goodbye, but stopping quickly, an embarrassed blush on his face.

Back in the elevator, Yuma sidled next to Shark, hugging him tightly around the waist.

"What's gotten into you?" Shark's reply was gruff, but he wrapped his own arm around Yuma's upper back.

"Thank you. For…sharing this with me?" Yuma snuggled into Shark's chest. "I wish I could help more."

Shark sighed, rubbing Yuma's back with his fingernails, "It's okay, nobody can really help."

"But!" Yuma shot his face up, knocking his nose into Shark's. "Maybe I can, somehow."

Shark buried his free hand in Yuma's back spikes, pulling him into a hug, "You're already helping a lot."


End file.
